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@# To investigate the clinical therapeutic effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy in the treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome. Methods: Seven patients (10 elbows) with moderate cubital tunnel syndrome participated in this study. Three sessions of radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (2,000 shots, 4 Bar, 5 Hz) (once a week) were administered to the ulnar nerve at the proximal cubital tunnel region. The primary and secondary outcomes were assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the shortened Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire (Quick DASH), respectively, at the 4th, 8th, and 12th week, following the 3rd session of shock wave therapy. Results: The VAS and Quick DASH scores demonstrated improvements at all follow-up time points, in all treated elbows. The mean VAS and Quick DASH score improved from 4.7±0.3(mean±SE) to2.2±0.2 and 16.6±2.1to 6.8±1.6 respectively during 12 weeks follow up (all p <0.01). Conclusion: This pilot study revealed the safety and efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave therapy in patients with moderate cubital tunnel syndrome.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate and compare mail and meeting forms in evaluation of Delphi study.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Delphi study by mail and meeting approaches was used to determine the health information dataset. Experts were required to grade the listed items through three indexes: importance, necessity and availability. Study duration, coefficient of variation of items, authority coefficient and coordination coefficient of the experts' opinion of two forms of study were calculated and compared.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The study duration was four months through mail form and 2 days through meeting. Compared with the first round, the coefficient of variation decreased (P<0.001, all of the three indexes by two forms), and the cooperation index increased (P<0.005) in the second round. The experts' opinions were easier to be consistent through meeting than through mail(P<0.033). And the authority coefficient by meeting consultation (0.83 ± 0.05) was higher than that by mail (0.77 ± 0.03) (P=0.001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Both mail and meeting forms of Delphi study can determine the health information dataset,but meeting consultation is better and requires shorter study duration.</p>
Subject(s)
Communications Media , Delphi Technique , Postal Service , RecordsABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To access the association of xeroderma pigmentosum group C (XPC) Lys939Gln (A/C) and Ala499Val (C/T) polymorphisms with breast cancer risk in a Chinese Han population.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>173 patients with breast cancer and 171 matched controls in terms of habitation and age (±5 years) were included in this population-based case-control study. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was employed to genotyping the Lys939Gln and Ala499Val polymorphisms. Associations of genotypes of Lys939Gln and Ala499Val with breast cancer risk were evaluated using unconditional logistic regression model. Associations between XPC haplotypes and breast cancer risk were estimated by Haplo. Stats package.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>No significant associations were observed both in individual SNPs and haplotype analyses. However, there was a significant interaction between XPC Lys939Gln polymorphism and menopausal status (P=0.032).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The XPC Lys939Gln polymorphism may modulate breast cancer susceptibility jointly with the menopausal status.</p>
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Young Adult , Breast Neoplasms , Genetics , Case-Control Studies , DNA-Binding Proteins , Genetics , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Genotype , Menopause , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide , RiskABSTRACT
[Introduction] To design a workable compensatory scheme of new cooperative medical system (NCMS) in rural China, 'Monte Carlo Simulation Techniques' is developed based on the data of a multistage random sampling survey. The total compensation rate, the decreased percentages of poverty caused by diseases and the deficit ratio of fund a 0.3782, 0.6540 and -0.0794 respectively, when the main strategy of inpatient reimbursement is recognized as 'serious illness'. The deficit ratios of funding appeared to be 0.4840, 0.4091 and -0.3789 when the main strategy of outpatient reimbursement is recognized on minor diseases. Compensation for minor diseases is more important than that of serious diseases. Considering the further impact of minor diseases on peasants, we should incorporate compensation for minor diseases into the compensatory scheme of NCMS.
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Objective To evaluate the validity and reliability of a Chinese version on the Short-Form Health Survey Scale (SF-36) among elderly population. Methods Questionnaire including SF-36 Chinese version was administered in a cross-sectional study from October to December 2007. 4241 elderly people over 60 years old from rural and urban area in Zhejiang province were face-to-face interviewed by welltrained investigators, and then analyses on correlation, reliability, factors, t-test and one-way ANOVA were made to evaluate on reliability and validity of the scale. Results The SF-36 Chinese version had good split-half reliability (r=0.91, P<0.001 ) and all the internal consistency Cronbach's alpha coefficients exceeded 0.8 except for VT (α=0.65), SF(α=0.65) and MH (α=0.40). The correlative coefficients between each item and its domain were all greater than the 0.4 thresholds except item 9-2, and they were greater than the correlation between the item and other domains for all but item 9-8. These results demonstrated that the SF-36 Chinese version had good convergent validity and discriminant validity. The distribution of 35 items in 6 public factors (the cumulative variance=67.04 %) extracted from them was consistent with the basic conceived concept. All domains except MH had good validity to discriminate different categories. Conclusion The SF-36 Chinese version had good reliability and validity. It was acceptable for the evaluation on quality of life in elderly population, but the reliability and validity of MH were relative low and the items such as 9-2, 9-8 in MH and 3-1 in PF were not suitable for Chinese elderly population.